Calymene

Calymene is a project inspired by synthetic biology, created using sculpted metal mesh and traditional glassblowing techniques. It reflects on the increasing influence of human intervention in the evolution of life, and on the shifting boundaries between the natural and the man-made. The lamps in this series emerge from the meeting point of organic forms and industrial materials.

Each lamp begins with a metal mesh structure, which acts as both mold and skeleton. Murano glass is blown into the mesh, pressing into its cavities like soft tissue filling an empty frame. As the glass hardens and the mesh is removed, the form captures a moment of transition—evoking the shedding of a cocoon and the emergence of a new organism.

Though the forms mimic natural processes, the materials are artificial, creating hybrid objects that sit between biology and fabrication. The lamps are named after fossilized prehistoric creatures that once underwent a radical shift—from water to land. Their story echoes today's moment, as life itself faces a new phase of transformation through synthetic biology.

Seen as modern fossils, these pieces serve as physical imprints of our time. Calymene invites the viewer to meditate on our evolving relationship with nature while offering a speculative glimpse into the possible futures of life shaped by human design.